


When Summer Loved Spring

by bearsofalthain



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst, F/M, Fluff, Hop has got it bad, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multiple Endings, Post-Game, angst angst angst i'm so sorry, they're like 18 in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-28
Updated: 2020-01-04
Packaged: 2021-02-19 06:15:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,647
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22006462
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bearsofalthain/pseuds/bearsofalthain
Summary: Hop’s eyes were always on Gloria.After all, he loved her. Her bright, ever cheerful smile. Her adorable way of walking; the playful little skip in her step whenever something good had happened. The way she hummed and tapped her feet while stirring a massive pot of curry for her beloved Pokémon.Hop’s eyes were always on Gloria, but it was because of that that he knew her eyes were never on him.
Relationships: Dande | Leon & Kibana | Raihan & Sonia, Dande | Leon/Kibana | Raihan (mentioned), Hop/Yuuri | Gloria, Postwickshipping - Relationship, one-sided Dande | Leon/Sonia
Comments: 19
Kudos: 203





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I finished the game a week ago and I can't stop thinking about Postwickshipping. They're just so cute ;--;
> 
> and yet.... aaangst hnhghg

Hop’s eyes were always on Gloria.

After all, he loved her. Her bright, ever cheerful smile.

Her adorable way of walking; the playful little skip in her step whenever something good had happened. The way she hummed and tapped her feet while stirring a massive pot of curry for her beloved Pokémon. How she kept updating her League Card every other week just so she could make different silly expressions and poses each time. How she complained about her big old backpack but held on to it anyway, even after all these years. How she cried. How she laughed. How she was _her_.

Hop’s eyes were always on Gloria, but it was because of that that he knew her eyes were never on him.

He sighed.

He’d known it for a while now, ever since the opening match of this season’s Gym Challenge – former Champion vs. the current Champion. He’d been watching from the bleachers, watching as Gloria smiled up at his brother with a tender expression she’d never shown him before. There were only so many conclusions he could come to, and his biggest guess was the one he wanted the least.

Sometimes a tiny part of him wished he had never introduced Gloria to his brother. Then maybe she wouldn’t have gotten to know him. Battled him. Fallen for him. He shook his head.

“Don’t be silly,” he muttered under his breath. What a terrible thought that was. There was no guarantee that things would have turned out differently otherwise, and besides, that would’ve meant they never travelled around the Galar region or completed the Gym Challenge together. Gloria would’ve never become the Champion, they’d have never met Sonia, Chairman Rose’s plans might’ve come to fruition…

With an odd twinge in his chest he couldn’t quite explain, Hop tried to dismiss his silent selfishness. There was no use dwelling on what-ifs just because he had a crush on his best friend.

Perhaps, if it had been anyone else, he would have asked himself what the object of Gloria’s affections had that he didn’t. But this was Leon they were talking about. The strong, kind and easy-going former Champion adored by everyone in the region. His incredible big brother whom he’d looked up to his whole life. Gloria had every reason to love him. And… No matter what his own feelings were, Hop wanted the two people he loved most in the world to be happy.

Heaving yet another sigh, he returned the book he’d been mindlessly staring at back to the shelf where it belonged and rubbed his neck.

“You okay, Hop?” Sonia called from downstairs. “You’ve been sighing a whole lot. Want to take a break?”

Hop blinked. “Huh? Oh, um, I’m alright. Thanks, Sonia.”

“No worries. Just make sure you aren’t sighing when Gloria arrives.”

Hop’s eyes widened. “Gloria’s coming today? Wait, what date is it?” He whipped out his phone to check.

Sonia raised an eyebrow. “It’s not like you to forget, Hop. I thought you loved it when she came to visit.”

“L-love... Wha?” Hop nearly dropped his phone. “I-I mean! Yeah! Of course. Gloria and I are best friends and rivals, after all. I’ve just been so, um, busy. With the report. Yeah.”

“Mm-hm,” Sonia lips curved knowingly. “The report you finished half an hour ago.”

Hop coughed, averting his gaze in utter guilt. “H-how did you…”

"You already submitted it, silly. Remember?” Sonia couldn’t help but giggle. Hop was so easy to read. She clasped her hands together. “Well, if you’ve got nothing else to do, why don’t you go get lunch for the three of us? Something fit for a Champion.”

Hop snorted at her joke. “You got it!” He leapt down the stairs and grabbed his bag in two seconds flat, already thinking of what his best mate would like.

“I’m off!” He yelled, swinging open the front door, ending up face-to-face with—

“Gloria?” Hop’s breath hitched.

She was here already? Hop's nose was barely an inch away from the brunette’s. He could feel the warmth of her breath on his skin. Hop blushed. Everything felt so much better now that she was here.

“H-hey, mate!” Hop stammered, clumsily stumbling backwards to put distance between them. “You're early. You scared me!”

Gloria giggled. “I should be saying that, silly! You’re the one who opened the door so suddenly.”

Without so much as another word, she pulled him into a tight hug, squeezing him affectionately. “Gosh, I missed you so much! How’ve you been, Hop? It’s been forever…”

Hop couldn’t stop his lips from trembling in joy. He leaned into the hug, enjoying Gloria’s scent. No matter how much travelling she did, she always smelled the same to him. Flowery, refreshing and wild, yet welcoming and sweet. If she was a season, she would definitely be spring.

He wondered what he would be. Maybe summer...?

“And that’s forever too long!” He replied merrily. “Always glad to see you, Glo. I’ve been alright. And how ‘bout you?”

Gloria grinned. “Busy! Extremely busy. I’ll tell you all about it later. Where were you headed? I’ll walk you.”

“He was just on his way to get lunch,” Sonia chipped in. “How’s it going, kiddo?”

“Sonia!” Gloria let go of Hop and rushed over to hug the professor. The older woman ruffled her hair fondly.

“You look amazing as always!” Gloria sighed, nuzzling into Sonia’s big coat. “I hope Hop hasn’t been giving you too much trouble?”

“Oi!”

“On the contrary,” laughed Sonia. “He’s been a huge help around the lab. Just a little more, and I think he’ll be ready to be called a Professor himself.”

Gloria’s eyes shone as she turned back to look at her best friend, who was rubbing the back of his head, embarrassed. “I expected no less of my best mate! Hop’s amazing!”

“Endorsed by the Champion herself,” Hop joked. “You’d better watch out, Sonia!”

“Bring it on.”

Gloria snorted and hooked her arm in Hop’s.

“C’mon, you. Save it for later. Let’s go get something, I’m staaaarving.”

“I’m sure you are. See you soon, Sonia!”

“Bye, you too!” Sonia paused. “And good luck, Hop.”

Hop blinked. “Good luck…? With?”

He made eye contact with Gloria for a brief second, then, quietly, his cheeks growing hot, “… _oh_.”

* * *

“—and then, Raihan got so flustered that he accidentally threw a Pokéball at his head!”

“You’re kidding!”

Hop loved being with Gloria. No matter how much time they spent apart, their relationship always picked up right where it left off. It was comforting to know they would always be best friends and rivals, yet… Admittedly, a little disappointing to think that they would never be anything more.

“Hey, battle with me after lunch?” Gloria pleaded, though she already knew Hop’s answer.

“Do you even have to ask? There’s no way I’d pass up the chance to battle my number one rival,” Hop clenched his fists, jostling the bags of food he was carrying around in his excitement. “Whoops, sorry. But, you sure?”

Gloria tilted her head. “Of what?”

“Well, battling me! Not that I don’t want to! It’s always good fun battling with you, Glo, and I wouldn’t have it any other way, just –” Hop stared at the ground, uncharacteristically quiet.

Gloria watched him carefully. “…Hop? What’s wrong?”

The dark-skinned boy shuffled his feet. “I just… Well, you’re fighting with such strong opponents every day now, and… I want you to be able to enjoy yourself, mate, and I’m not sure battling me will…” His voice trailed off.

Gloria’s eyes were wide for a moment. “Oh, Hop,” she burst out laughing suddenly. “You are so lovely. Thank you for thinking about me.” She put her hands on his shoulders and looked directly into his eyes. Hop averted his gaze, praying she wouldn’t notice the faint blush dusting his cheeks.

“But you know, Hop,” Gloria’s tone was serious. “It’s not about winning or losing! No matter how strong or smart or old we become, we’ll always be us. The Postwick kids, Gloria and Hop. I love battling with you, and I enjoy it because it’s you! My best friend, and – ”

“ – best rival,” Hop finished, a tiny smile finding its way to his lips. Leave it to Gloria to know just what to say to keep him grounded.

“That’s right! And we’ll always be together, yeah?” Gloria giggled.

“Yeah.” Hop nodded, finally looking directly at Gloria. She was right. He didn’t need to worry about these things.“… Yeah! I’ll become the best Pokémon professor in the world! And maybe I'll even overtake you as Champion, too!”

Gloria brightened. There was her Hop. “Let’s see you try,” she teased, sticking out her tongue.

“Race you back to the lab?” Hop grinned mischievously, sprinting off before Gloria even had a chance to reply.

“Wait! Hop, careful with the _food_!”

* * *

“I win!” Hop burst through the doors, shooting his arms up in the air triumphantly. The bags of food were trophies in his hands – crinkled, messy, plastic trophies.

“Yeah, and that’s because you cheated!” Gloria panted, stumbling after him.

Hop grinned. “You love me anyway.”

Gloria crinkled her nose. “Yeah, yeah. Thin ice!”

Hop burst out laughing before a familiar voice sounded from behind him.

“Got room for one more for lunch?”

Gloria was the first to react. She spun around to greet the former Champion. “Leon! Hey!”

“Lee!” Hop tackled his older brother, still carrying the bags. “Of course we do! But, um… Why are you here?”

Leon scratched the back of his head. “I had some business in Turffield, but I guess I, ah, kind of got lost?”

Gloria and Hop gave him an amused, but unsurprised look. At least he was somewhat close this time. Once they’d planned to meet him in Motostoke, and he’d called an hour later asking for directions out of Route 9.

“But since I was here, I thought I’d swing by and visit my favourite lil’ bro and professor. Didn’t think I’d be seeing Miss Champion today, too, though.”

When his stomach growled he added sheepishly, “oh, and, I’m kind of hungry, too, I guess.”

Gloria giggled and glanced around the lab. “Well, we can certainly eat soon. But where’s Sonia...?”

A beep from his Rotom phone told Hop what they needed to know. “She had to go investigate something,” Hop said, reading her message. “she said we could start first. I’ll go set the table. Sit tight, yeah?”

“Thanks, Hopscotch!”

Hop hummed as he lay out the cutlery. He was looking forward to having lunch with his two favourite people in the whole world for the first time in a long while. … But by the time he sat down, he found that they were already in a world of their own. Smiling at each other, chatting.

Gloria’s rosy cheeks flushed in a way Hop had never seen before. She looked so…

Happy.

Bitterness filled his mouth and mind. He… He’d been trying really hard not to think about it, but now, with the very image he’d been trying to push to the back of his mind right in front of him, taunting him, it was difficult not to.

And it was just as hard to swallow. It felt like a Bronzong was pressing down on his chest.

Hop sat in silence for a moment, then stood up. “… I’m going to go help Sonia,” he mumbled before hurrying out the door.

* * *

Hop didn’t want to feel this way. He didn’t want to get in between the happiness of the two people he loved so dearly. Whether it was requited or one-sided on Gloria’s part, Hop wanted to support them both.

He didn’t want to be selfish. He didn’t want to feel so awful, to think these dumb, negative thoughts. He didn’t like it. He hated it. He _hated_ it.

What if they’d never met, if he’d confessed a long time ago, if she’d said yes. He didn’t want to keep fantasizing about those what-ifs. And he didn’t want to make light of their feelings, even if they tore him apart. Just… What was wrong with him? Why did he have to feel this way? When did he even start falling for Gloria, anyway?

Oh, who was he kidding. He’d probably always liked her. It was just that he’d only properly realised it during their ‘final’ battle at the Slumbering Weald years ago. He’d told her he never wanted their battle to end. And even now, he meant it. He wanted to keep battling her – as well as alongside her – for as long as he lived. It was fine if they were just friends, just rivals, just the Postwick kids. That was fine. He was fine. Nothing good would come out of comparing himself to his brother.

Nothing good would come out of him loving someone who loved someone else.

Heaving a deep, exhausted sigh, Hop made his way to where Sonia had said she’d be.

* * *

Sonia looked up from the Rookidee she was healing. “Hop? What are you doing here?”

“I came to help you,” Hop explained, crouching down next to her. Yamper wagged his tail delightly, running in excited circles around him.

Sonia smiled. “Thank you. But I’m just about done here,” she patted the Rookidee gently and stood up, dusting off her coat. “The Rookidees are all better now. The Gym challenger who knocked into them with his bike panicked and brought whoever he could carry to the Pokémon center, so I’m just finishing up over here. Why don’t you head –”

“I can help!” Hop offered, not wanting to go back to the Lab.

Sonia raised an eyebrow. “Wait, is Gloria alone back there?” She realised suddenly. “It’s okay, Hop! I said you two could start lunch without me. Don’t leave her alone.”

“Ah… She’s not alone,” Hop said quietly, dragging his words. “Lee came to the lab.”

Sonia blinked. “Shouldn’t you be happy?” She glanced down at her assistant. Hop, who was always bright, energetic and passionate, suddenly looked so small and unsure of himself.

“Hey, you alright?” Hop said nothing. He sat down on the ground, hugging his knees close to his chest. With slow, lifeless motion, he dragged one finger across the dirt, watching as the gravel rolled beneath his skin. Sonia stood next to him patiently, not quite knowing what to do but not wanting to rush him either.

“… Sonia?”

“Mm?"

“… I think I’m in love with Gloria,” Hop exhaled, his chest trembling. His entire body was tense and hot. He’d known his feelings for ages, but this was the first time he’d ever said it out loud.

It felt… Strange. Good. Terrifying. Right, just as it was wrong.

“I’m in love with Gloria,” he repeated, looking up at Sonia with tears in his eyes. “I’m… In love with Gloria.”

Sonia’s eyes widened. She broke into a huge grin and swept down to hug him tightly, nearly lifting him off the ground. “Oh, Hop! I’m so proud of you!” “Wait, what?” “It was about time,” she sighed dreamily. “You two are so cute together. I was wondering when you were going to confess. Or when she was. Grandma and I made a bet.”

“You WHAT?” Hop spluttered, his face practically burning. It made him kind of happy to know that Sonia approved of them being together, but…

“N-no! It’s – it’s not like that! You’ve got it all wrong!”

“What do you mean?” Sonia asked, unable to control her grin.

“It—I… Well,” Hop cleared his throat, “Gloria already likes someone else.”

His eyes returned to the ground. Yamper nuzzled against his leg in an attempt to comfort him. “…Lee,” Hop confessed. “The one Gloria likes is Lee.”

Sonia hummed. “Leon, huh.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> At this point, the story splits into two -- the angst ending, and the fluff ending. Because I couldn't stand Hop being sad ;_;... I'm not done writing the fluff ending yet, but I'll post both together once I am! I recommend reading the angst ending first.
> 
> also!! I love the idea of Hop's nickname being Hopscotch! That's so cute! hhH
> 
> stay tuned to find out whether the characters ever get to eat lunch
> 
> Thanks for reading! :D


	2. Always By Your Side

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Angst Route.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Short, but I recommend reading this before moving on to the Fluff Route (next chapter)!
> 
> (If you're reading this at the time of updating, the next chapter might take a little while to appear!)

Sonia sat back down next to her assistant, ignoring the brownish dirt stains lingering on her white coat.

“Hey, Hop. Can you keep a secret?” She asked, nudging him lightly. Yamper bounded to her side, curling up by her feet. When the teen glanced at her, she continued, “I used to like Leon, too.”

Hop blinked, unsurprised.

“You knew?!”

“’More or less. You’re pretty easy to read, Professor.”

Sonia laughed. “I don’t want to hear that from you! But, yeah. I used to like him. I doubt he ever noticed, though. S’pose that’s a good thing.”

Her tone grew quiet. “Still, we were always together. At the time I thought that would never change.”

“And how did that turn out?” Hop buried his face in his sleeves. He thought about Gloria, and their constant promises that they’d always be by each other’s side. He wondered if they’d keep those promises far into the future. He hoped they would.

“Well… You know how the story goes,” Sonia mused. “He became the Champion and I became a Pokémon Professor. Much like a certain pair I know, don’t you think? But also, even before completing the Gym Challenge I’d already found out he liked someone else.”

Hop’s head shot up from his woolly burrow. “Lee _liked someone?!”_ He repeated, flabbergasted. “What? Who? He never told me anything!”

“Well, he was hardly ever home,” Sonia pointed out. “And he and Raihan are still going strong, even after all this while.”

Hop coughed. “ _Raihan_?! I’d have never thought… Well, are they happy, at least? They’re so different. I bet they bicker all the time.”

Sonia snorted. “Of course they do. But if anything, I’d say their rivalry has brought them even closer together.”

Hop sat up a little straighter, a glimmer of life returning to his eyes. He’d learned something new about his older brother today.

“Wow…” He breathed. “But how about you, Sonia? Are… Are _you_ happy?”

Sonia hummed, twirling the tip of her ponytail with her finger. “That’s a difficult question, Hop, and one too vague. It depends on which aspects of my life you’re asking about. Like, I’m definitely happy with how my career has progressed, yeah? I’ve published a couple of books, got no shortage of projects to work on… And I’ve got a reliable assistant helping me, too.” She winked at Hop, who crinkled his nose.

Sonia’s expression turned somber. “But if you asked about the part of me that loved him, I wouldn’t know what to tell you. I mean, I don’t really think about it anymore, but I won’t lie. Every now and then I do, and I have to convince the me from back then that so long as he’s happy, I ought to be happy for him too.”

In one swift motion, she stood up once more, hiding her face from Hop. He knew she wasn’t crying, rather, she was trying to stop herself from it. Stifling a sniffle, his mentor continued.

“I don’t want to feel sad,” she said, “nobody does! But I know I want the best for him even more. And we’ll still be together, anyway, even it’s not in the way I previously wanted to.” She finished with a smile.

Hop glanced at the ground. Sonia was telling him all this so easily and sincerely, but he wondered how long it had taken her to come to this conclusion. To allow herself to hurt, to try to _stop_ hurting, and then to realise that maybe she never fully would. And to be okay with that.

He wasn’t sure if he was strong enough to do the same. At least not yet. But when he thought about Gloria, his amazing and beautiful childhood friend, and how much he wanted her to smile…

Suddenly, his breathing became much easier.

“You’re so cool, Sonia,” Hop grinned.

“Of course I am!”

“Aww, you ruined it.”

“Hush, you. Now c’mon, let’s head back.”

* * *

Sonia and Hop chatted all the way back to the lab, talking about anything and everything.

It was nice, thought Hop. He’d always looked up to the professor, but they were so engrossed in their work all the time that he sometimes forgot what a good friend she was.

It wasn’t like his problem had gone away or that anything had changed, but having someone who understood talk to him had helped tremendously. His mind was clearer now. His heart a little stronger.

“We’re back!” He announced, bursting through the doors with Sonia in tow.

“Hop!”

“Hopscotch! Sonia!”

“Where’d you two go? The food’s gone cold, y’know!”

Hop had a feeling it would be a long time before his feelings settled. He doubted he’d ever stop loving Gloria, or that the tightness in his chest would ever go away when she looked at Leon the way he wished he’d look at her.

But regardless, Hop was sure of one thing – that he would be rooting for Gloria no matter what. Supporting her in every way he could. He would be there to cheer her up when she was down and lift her even higher when she wasn’t.

If Hop could be there for her, even in the simplest of ways, then he would do it.

And maybe, just maybe, if he was feeling courageous enough… Perhaps he would tell her that he liked her one day – even if rejection was all that awaited him.

It didn’t matter what happened.

Hop would always be by Gloria’s side, as summer is spring’s.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> //curls up in a ball I am in PAIN 
> 
> immediately after writing this I had to start on the fluff ending which is a lot longer because it just hurt so bad I want them to be happy sasdfghgfdslk


	3. The Happiest Person In The World

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Fluff Route.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this ended up being longer than the first chapter itself HAHAHA
> 
> also, the OT3 appears!

“Honestly, I don’t blame her,” Hop admitted. “Who wouldn’t love Lee? He’s so cool and brave and awesome and strong –”

“and so are you,” Sonia pointed out.

Hop offered a weak smile. “… Thanks, mate. But you don’t have to try and cheer me up. I love Lee, but it doesn’t take a genius to know I’ll never match up to him.”

He squeezed his eyes shut and tilted his head to the side, deep in thought. “… I guess even after all this time, I’m still losing to him after all. Ahaha…”

As he exhaled, his spirit deflated along with his chest. Sonia couldn’t help but worry for her assistant – the kind, energetic and happy-go-lucky boy who’d been in his brother’s shadow his entire life. Sure, he’d taken it in stride at first, declaring he’d defeat him and become the Champion himself, but at some point he’d been harshly forced to come to terms with the fact that he just wasn’t strong enough. Not for his brother, and most certainly not for his childhood best friend who’d easily surpassed him over and over again. 

And now, for him to even harbour the thought that Gloria, the one person who’d never compared him to his brother and loved him for who he was since the very beginning, preferred Leon over him… Sonia could only imagine how broken Hop must be feeling.

She moved closer to give him a hug, but before she could even say anything, he shook his head quickly and slapped himself on both cheeks.

“Sorry, Sonia. I know I shouldn’t compare myself like that.” Hop smiled at his mentor apologetically. His voice was trembling. “Really, I wonder why I’m acting like this… I thought I’d gotten used to losing, I… I just… Want the best for both of them. I want them to be happy! I should be happy for them, I, I know I’m just being silly, so…”

But Hop wasn’t being silly, and they both knew it.

Sonia watched him for a long time as he shook and sniffled. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, so many things she wanted to say to try and comfort him. But she had a feeling he was already aware of all of them; he didn’t need someone to repeat them.

So instead she just sat there with him, silently, until he was ready.

“… Thanks, Sonia,” he choked out once he’d calmed down somewhat.

“Anytime,” Sonia smiled at him warmly. “So, have you come to a conclusion?”

“… Sort of.” Slowly, Hop got up from his position. He was still trembling slightly, but a newfound determination stirred in his heart.

“Yeah? Let’s hear it.”

“I… I love Gloria and Leon,” Hop declared resolutely, clenching his fists. “So I’ll do anything I can to support the both of them. I want them to be happy.”

Sonia giggled. She ruffled his hair fondly. “I’m proud of you, Hop,” she praised. “But also… There’s something I do need to remind you about.”

Hop looked over at her curiously, his eyes still shining.

“Leon’s dating Raihan, remember?”

Hop blinked. His enthusiasm morphed into confusion.

“And also me. The three of us are dating.” At Hop’s silence, she furrowed her eyebrows. “Did… Did you forget?”

Hop blinked again. He was a silent for a moment.

“…”

“…”

“You WHAT?!” He burst out, digging his fingers in his hair. “What?! Why did nobody tell me?!”

“… Hop, we’ve been dating for years now.”

Hop was flabbergasted. Come to think of it, the three of them _did_ seem particularly close, but he’d always pinned it down to them being childhood friends. Why had he never realised the three of them were in a relationship? Had he seriously been too focused on Gloria to… Wait.

“D-Does Gloria know?!” Hop realised suddenly. 

“Probably? She spends a lot of time with both of them, so it’d be surprising if she didn’t know at this point. Though I guess I thought the same about you.” Sonia was incredibly amused.

“And she still likes Lee?” Hop’s expression fell. “Oh, Gloria, no, mate, don’t do this…” He’d recently discovered the pain of falling for someone who loved someone else, and he didn’t want her to feel the same way, so…!

“It’s alright, silly,” Sonia flicked him on the forehead, “calm down. I’m sure it’s just a little crush. Leon probably doesn’t even realise it yet. You know how he is.”

“That’s true…” Hop grumbled, his worry still apparent. He sighed. “Thanks again, Sonia. Sorry I got all worked up like that.”

“No, no. I’m sorry I chose now to tell you, too,” Sonia laughed sheepishly. “Especially right after you just steeled your resolve like that.”

“And I’m sorry I didn’t realise ‘till now!”

Yamper sniffed, looking between the both of them. He licked Sonia affectionately.

“Alright, that’s about enough apologies for today,” Sonia stretched her arms, mildly concerned when she heard an odd sound in her joints. She smiled at Hop. “Shall we head back?”

* * *

Hop and Sonia chatted about all sorts of things on the way back. They were always so engrossed in their work that Hop sometimes forgot how great of a friend the professor was. He was grateful that they’d talked, even though things had turned out a little differently from how he’d thought they would.

His head was clearer now; he’d approach the situation with more awareness next time. And no matter what, as he’d promised himself, he’d do what was best for his best friend and brother.

“We’re back!” Hop announced, bursting through the doors. “Sorry we took so long.”

He stopped in his tracks. Gloria and Leon were still sitting opposite each other in the dining area, but for some reason, Gloria was blushing wildly. She was staring intensely at the wooden table like it was the most interesting thing she’d ever seen in her life.

“…Gloria?” Despite his newfound resolution, Hop couldn’t help but swallow at the sight of his best friend like that. Just what had happened while he was out with Sonia?

“Oh, hi, Hopscotch!” Leon greeted brightly. He looked around hopefully, his eyes lighting up at the sight of the peach-haired professor behind his little brother. “Sonia!”

“Hey, you,” Sonia giggled. She moved to sit next to him, Yamper scurrying after her.

Hop could feel his cheeks growing warm. Now hyper-aware of their relationship, he mentally chided himself. It had been so obvious. How had he not realised before?

He shook his head and made his way over to his work area, feeling rather awkward. He wanted to talk to Gloria, but he also needed a moment to recollect his thoughts. Besides, he was technically still at work, and now he had to do up a report on the Rookidee incident as well. He supposed he’d have to ask Sonia for more details, but he figured he may as well –

“Hop!” Gloria yelled.

Halfway across the lab, Hop froze. His heart skipped a beat.

_“You can do it, cham—mmph!!”_

Hop spun around. His eyes landed on Leon, who’d not so subtly whisper-yelled encouragement to Gloria, as well as on Sonia, who’d clamped a hand over his mouth.

Hop blinked. “What is it, mate?”

The Champion’s cheeks were dusted red. “Will…”

Sonia gasped. She removed her hand from Leon’s mouth and grabbed his arm instead, squeezing it in hopeful alarm. Leon’s fists were clenched in equal excitement. They watched, wide-eyed, as Hop made his way toward the object of his affections.

“Will…!”

Hop gulped. Why was he so nervous all of a sudden? With every step he took towards Gloria, the dizzier he felt. He could feel Leon and Sonia’s eyes burning into his skull. 

“Will you battle with me?” Gloria blurted. She held out a Poké Ball, ready to battle.

Sighs filled the laboratory; two of disappointment and one of relief.

Hop whipped out a Poké Ball of his own, clasping it in signature Hop fashion. He was feeling an incredibly wild mix of emotions, but relief was definitely the most prominent. He was grateful for the battle offer – at least that way he might be able to take his mind off things.

Hop grinned. “You know you never have to ask.”

The two best friends smirked at each other and raced outside, leaving the two adults in the kitchenette.

Leon and Sonia sat in silence.

“… I say Hop will confess first,” the former Champion said at last.

“No way. My bets are on Gloria.”

* * *

Hop loved Pokémon Battles.

He loved them even more so when it was Gloria he was battling. It didn’t matter how difficult or long the battle was; she always made them look so fun. Hop could sense the complete faith she had in her Pokémon, and the absolute trust they had in her.

“Inteleon! Use Snipe Shot!”

“Ah, you got me…! Hang in there, Cinderace!”

Just as he’d told Gloria all those years ago, Hop never wanted their battle to end. It didn’t matter how many times they battled; his words would never lose their meaning. He wanted to continue to fight alongside Gloria for as long as he could.

… If he was being honest, though, there was a tiny bit of selfishness behind his reasoning.

Because while they were battling, at least, Gloria’s eyes would be on him.

Hop smiled sadly. Alas, nothing lasted forever. He was down to his trusty Cinderace while Gloria still had two more Pokémon to go. He had as good as lost and they both knew it, but he at least wanted to give Gloria a good fight to the end.

He reached into his bag for a Hyper Potion, making eye contact with his Cinderace as he did. They didn’t even need words – Hop knew his partner would understand his request.

_One last push. You up for it, buddy?_

“… Actually, Hop, let’s stop here.”

Hop blinked. Cinderace’s ears twitched. “Sorry?”

“Let’s end our match here.”

It wasn’t like Gloria to cut a match short, especially when it was right about to finish. Hop wondered if something was wrong. He wanted to make a quip at her, but all it took was a glance at her face for him to fall silent.

“Gloria…?”

“Your heart’s not into it, Hop,” Gloria sighed. She smiled weakly at Inteleon, who obediently returned to its Poké Ball. “… And I’ll be honest, neither is mine.”

For the nth time that day, Hop was incredibly confused.

“The truth is, I came here today to tell you something,” the Champion confessed, fidgeting with her hands. She looked incredibly distressed.

Without thinking, Hop moved towards her and held her fumbling hands in his own, giving them a firm but gentle squeeze.

“You can talk to me,” he whispered.

Gloria’s eyes fluttered shut.

“Now… Slowly, love. What’s wrong? What did you want to tell me?”

“…”

“Hey, it’s okay, champ. Take your time.”

Hop was growing concerned. He’d never seen his best friend this stressed and worried before. She’d always been like the sun, bright and shining. But then again, he supposed even the sun needed time off in the evenings, too.

Ignoring his self-consciousness and embarrassment, Hop enveloped Gloria in a tight hug. His selfish little crush on her didn’t matter at that moment. He just wanted to be there for her like he’d promised himself he would.

They stayed like that for a while, holding each other in silence and warmth. Cinderace had long since returned to its Poké Ball, but with how hot his cheeks were burning, Hop had a feeling he could give his partner a run for his money.

“I’m not going anywhere,” he reassured Gloria.

It all happened in a blur. One moment Hop was comforting his troubled childhood friend and hugging her; the next moment said friend had grabbed him by the shoulders, yanked him forward and crashed her lips into his.

“I LIKE YOU, HOP!” She hollered, her grip on him tight. “AND NOT JUST IN A PLATONIC WAY! IF YOU WERE A POKÉMON, I’D CHOOSE _YOU_!”

Hop was speechless. His cheeks were flaming. His ears, burning. He was pretty sure he was going to melt into a molten pool of Hop if he didn’t stop blushing soon, but then Sonia would be left without an assistant, so he didn’t.

Instead he spluttered, “what the ever-loving _heck,_ Gloria?!” right before his legs gave way and he crumbled to the ground.

“Oh my god, I’m so sorry, Hop, I’m so sorry!” Gloria was pacing back and forth, her legs trembling. She clenched her fists and jumped up and down on the spot, making strained noises of embarrassment and worry. “I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have done that, I’m sorry, that was so sudden, I should’ve asked first, I’m sorry, I just –”

“Calm _down_ , Gloria!”Hop cried from the ground, attempting weakly to cover his face with the back of his hand. His skin brushed against his lips, only serving as a reminder that Gloria had just kissed him.

_Gloria had just kissed him._

Oh, Arceus. Hop’s head was spinning. Gloria knelt down next to him, but kept her face turned away. Hop forced himself to glance up at her, only to immediately look away whenever their eyes met.

“S…So, what was that all about,” he coughed out after they were done playing the eye contact avoidance game.

Gloria flailed her arms about. “I don’t know!” She squeaked, her eyes darting everywhere. “Or, well, I guess I do know? Just, I don’t know why I did what I did, or rather I do, but –”

Hop cupped her face between his hands, his arms considerably more daring than his jelly legs. “Take it easy, Glo.”

Gloria’s breath hitched. She kept her eyes on Hop’s, inhaling and exhaling in tune with him until the tensions in her body began to relax.

Hop let slip a tiny smile. It was comforting, in a way, to know that Gloria was every bit as embarrassed as he was.

“I… I like you, Hop,” she confessed once more. “And not just in a friendship way.”

Hop cleared his throat, embarrassed. “I got that part, yes. But… Are you sure…?”

Gloria’s eyes shone. “Does that mean you like me too?” She paused. “Wait, sorry, Leon told me not to rush it…”

“Lee?!” Hop was flabbergasted. “What does Lee have to do with this?”

“He was giving me advice on how to confess to you!” Gloria yelped. “He said that if you didn’t make a move by the end of the battle then I ‘may as well just up and kiss you myself’!”

Hop squinted. Yeah, Lee would definitely say something like that. “Wait, then, that cheesy ‘I choose you’ line…”

“He said he used it on Sonia and it worked, so I should too!”

“Well, did he say if it worked on Raihan?”

“Yeah! And it didn’t!”

“Then why did you use it?!”

“Because I thought it was cute!” Gloria paused for a moment to catch her breath. “Like you!”

“ _What!”_

Hop had practically doubled over laughing. He lay on the grass clutching his stomach, confused, amazed and captivated by Gloria – all at the same time.

“Yes,” he giggled in between wheezes, “yes, I like you.”

“Really?!” Gloria perked up. “You’re not just saying that, are you?”

Hop shook his head. Taking a deep breath, he sat upright. “I’m not,” he confirmed, his expression serious. He held Gloria’s gaze. “I’ve fancied you for a long time, Gloria. You make me so happy. And I want to make _you_ happy, too. I want to make you the happiest person in the world.”

Gloria smiled brightly. “Oh, you already do!”

“Gloria, I was trying to be smooth!”

“You don’t need to be, Hop! Just be you. I like you.”

Hop buried his face in his hands. Gloria was going to kill him one of these days. But before then, there was still one thing he had to clear up.

“… I thought you liked my brother,” he admitted.

Gloria shuffled closer to him. “He’s like a big brother to me! And he’s quite literally yours, too. Besides, he’s dating Raihan and Sonia.”

Hop bit the inside of his cheek, feeling a little silly about how he’d acted earlier. He stared at the ground. “But the way you looked at him during the opening match… I really thought you liked him. I wanted to support you…”

Gloria made a pained noise. She nuzzled against Hop’s cheek, and Hop was instantly grateful that they could still be as close as before without feeling awkward.

“You’re too sweet, Hop,” she sniffled. “But just because Hop’s your name, it doesn’t mean you should jump to conclusions.”

She turned to face her sweetheart. “I’m not really sure what you’re talking about, but the reason I like watching Leon during our matches is that he does the same thing you do to focus.” She slapped both her cheeks to demonstrate. “See, like this.”

Hop’s lips wobbled. He still hadn’t quite processed the events of the last few minutes, and was worried that if he pinched himself he might wake up from an all-too-good dream.

“Well, to be precise, I’m the one who copied him.”

Gloria giggled. “Even so, it reminds me of you. And _you_ remind me of home.” She rested her head against his shoulder. Hop smiled and leaned into the gesture.

“Say, Gloria,” he mused. “Will you let me stay by your side forever? Even if this doesn’t work out, we’ll… We’ll still be best mates, right?”

Gloria closed her eyes and placed her hand atop his.

“You know you never have to ask.”

* * *

Back at the Lab, Sonia and Leon had Raihan on video call.

“That line’s never gonna work on anyone,” The dragon tamer cackled, miles away in Hammerlocke.

“Hey, it worked on me!” Sonia protested. She could still remember Leon’s confession clearly. The memory never failed to both amuse and endear her.

“W-Well, let’s hope she doesn’t have to use it, then!” Leon laughed.

Sonia raised an eyebrow. “Come to think of it, why was Gloria in a hurry to confess all of a sudden, anyway?”

Raihan crossed his arms and tilted his head to the side thoughtfully. “No idea. All I know is I got a call from Milo earlier. Apparently she suddenly froze and ran off early this morning before the scheduled practice matches started. Then they needed a replacement, so that’s why they asked you to –”

Raihan frowned. “Leon.”

Leon’s mouth slowly opened, then closed. “Yes, honey?”

Sonia snorted.

“Don’t ‘honey’ me. Didn’t you have business in Turffield?”

“…Ah, um… I’m going to go check on those two!”

“Sonia, _don’t let him escape.”_

“Wouldn’t dream of it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> spoiler: nobody got to eat lunch except Raihan. 
> 
> This was super fun to write ;u; I wanna write all sorts of AUs with the Postwick kids, I love them so much! I hav e no idea what this turned into tho lmao it's 5am and I have Not Gone To Bed Yet so that's always a good time
> 
> either way, I hope you enjoyed it! :D
> 
> (also! I love the OT3...!)


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